Recently, by recording video data such as a television broadcast, a technique for a user to view the recorded video data at the user's desired timing is developed. For example, a video recorder (VTR) for home is widely used, and the user can view the recorded video at his desired timing after record of the video data is completed. However, in the VTR, a video cannot be played while recording the video. Accordingly, even if the user is not in time for beginning time of a TV program by a few minutes, he/she must wait completion of recording the TV program in order to view the recorded program.
On the other hand, as a technique to play a video on recording, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,383 (Gemstar Development Corp.) is known. In this reference, a video is recorded by using a hard disk able to record and play the video at the same time, and the video is played while recording the video. In general, this play method is called “time-shift play”.
In the time-shift play, a method for catching up the latest received video by quickly playing the recorded video is called “catch up play”. For example, in the case of time-shift play, a play by review is applied. Otherwise, as another example, in Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) PH7-264529, after a scene (such as a commercial) not related to a main program is excluded from a video, the video is played.
In the catch up play by review, the user can indicate to catch up the latest received (broadcasted) video by arbitrary speed. However, in this case, the video is unnaturally played and a sound of the video is hard for the user to listen. In the catch up play by excluding commercials, the video and the sound are not turbulent. However, the exclusion part is limited in the video and the user cannot indicate a play speed of the recorded video to catch up the latest received video.
As mentioned-above, in the time-shift play of the prior art, it takes a long time to complete the play of the recorded video and the play cannot catch up to the latest received video. In the catch up play by review, the video is turbulently played.